Wilkis Wilk
by AlwaysSleepy908
Summary: After Sorey got corrupted by malevolence, Rose tracked him down to kill the fallen Shepherd however, will she follow through? To make things harder, the longer Rose observed the brunet the more hesitant becomes to kill him. After all she has her own honor to withhold. Tainted!AU. Two-shot. Rose-centric and Sorey-centric. Warning: Spoilers!
1. Rose is Rose

Rose is Rose

 **A/N: Hey guys! This would the first chapter of this two-shot chapter thing! This is my first fanfiction on this account!  
This is set in Tainted!AU with a slight twist! Through it's slightly unclear as to how Sorey got tainted in the first place, this two-shot focuses on my take of the possible changes of what had happened after Sorey got tainted. So enjoy!  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Zestiria, but I only my own take of Tainted!AU and the character's slight OOC-ness!**

 **Warning: ANGST and OOC-ness! **

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Rose kept low from her prey from an elevated position as she tracked her next victim, or rather a long-term prey. After all the original plan was something in the lines of killing Sorey as soon as he got corrupted by malevolence, however currently he seemed to be doing all but reeking of malevolence.

While she can't purify the evil or feel the hanging malevolence that clouds over villages like smog anymore, she can definitely be a good judge of character. And currently Sorey was offering to slay some hellions. Great.

She kept back from letting out a loud shout of frustration. She had been following him for more than a few days and while Sorey isn't all Sorey anymore, he isn't one of those Hellions. While she crouched, hiding she let her thoughts drift to back then to when it happened. Now that she thought back about it foolishly stupid.

It was the first time Rose had met the Lord of Calamity and the second time Sorey fought against the said Lord. The tides of battle seemed to be in their favour and just when everything seemed to be over, Heldalf lashed out in one great final attack at the Shepherd, who had his back turned. They didn't even have the time to react but just stare in various degrees of shock and hopelessness when the attack connected and pierced through the heart of their dear friend.

"Sorey!" Mikleo called out, running next to his best friend. Lailah gasped as she covered her mouth as tears started to gather at her eyes. Edna lowered her umbrella down as she slowly followed the distressed water seraph. Dezel said nothing, perhaps still in shock but his clenched fists were shaking by his side. Rose too rushed over to Sorey as Mikleo turned the boy over. One glance at Sorey's face drove her into rage.

" _Lukeim Yurlin!"_ She shouted in rage. Everything felt numb. With one last attack at Heldalf, killing the Lord of Calamity in an lethal swoop of raining blades. The body of Heldalf moved no longer but the rage, now tears, was still there. Once she was finished the armatization wore off as Rose ran back to where Sorey laid surrounded by his seraphim friends. Even Dezel lingered at the edge of Sorey's vision.

"Sorey!" Rose called again, making his way next to the dying Shepherd. Sorey coughed, spewing a bit blood over his once pure white cloak.

"Hey guys," Sorey tried to smile but it was weak. Beside Sorey, Mikleo was clutching desperately at Sorey's hand like it was his lifeline, whispering not to leave him. He was his childhood friend and they still had a great future ahead of them dammit! Just don't die.

"Mikleo..." Sorey started but he stopped by a storm of coughs that racked his body.

"Don't talk, you need to save your energy Sorey," Lailah's voice was soft as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Sorey shook his head, "I need to... tell you all. Thank you... so much for being with me..."

"Idiot," Enda started, looking away, "Don't say it as if you're going to leave us. After all it us that made the decision to follow you until the end."

A soft but weak laughter bubbled from Sorey but it soon turned into another round of coughing. They all panicked a little before Sorey was able to recover again.

"Lailah, your the first seraph that I created a contract with. Without you we wouldn't even been able to start off his journey. Thank you for looking out for us and holding me back during my reckless moments," Sorey looked up at her who knelt near his head. She bit back a sob and nodded as she put her hands over her mouth. She gave Sorey a weak but sincere smile.

"Thank you, Sorey," she nearly whispered.

"Edna," Sorey began but he was cut off by Edna.

"No," she denied, "I'm not going to listen."

Sorey gave a small huff of amusement. After all it was easy to tell that she was trying to hold back the tears as she pointedly stared left.

"Thank you for coming with us on this journey. We couldn't have done it without you. I... I know that I couldn't keep my promise to free your brother but I still hope that one day you will be reunited," Sorey breathed.

Enda lowered her umbrella and covered her face. Rose, who was crouched by Enda could hear the girl cry. "Idiot," she mumbling, "Stupid, stupid, idiot."

"You know I can hear you, right?" Sorey gave a small smile as Enda hiccuped but she lifted her umbrella up again just for a second before lowering it again.

"Dezel," Sorey started and he could see Dezel flinch a little at the sound of his name. Sorey offered him a soft look. "Thank you so much for looking after us, and especially Rose. I... I'm sorry that you had to see another-"

"No need to apologize," Dezel quickly cut in before Sorey could finish, "I was doing it out of my own interests as well."

Then he took off his hat and through his long bangs he smiled a smile. Sorey returned it with the same intensity.

"Rose," he turned his head slightly towards his squire.

Rose gave him a small smile even on a tear stained face, "Yes Sorey?"

Sorey laughed a little and thankfully he didn't cough this time, "Thanks for being my squire and taking the heavy things into you own hands." Even with the vague sentence Rose understood what he meant. "Look after everyone alright? Become the new Shepherd and finish what I couldn't."

Rose nodded, giving a reassuring squeeze to his other unoccupied hand.

"Sorey no!" Mikleo cut in, "Don't say it as if you're going to die!"

"Mikleo..." Sorey shifted to look at his childhood friend. They had never parted long and they practically stuck to each other through thick and thin. He knew that Mikleo was thinking, no words are needed for a relationship like theirs. He knew that he would take a part of Mikleo when he ascends and so he wanted to give something back to him.

"Mikleo," he started again but Mikleo wasn't listening. Instead he was shaking his head, gripping tightly to his hand. Sorey smiled bitterly, "Come on, don't make that face."

With his free hand he slowly lifted it to Mikleo's face a brushed a few tears away. "Mikleo, stay strong. Don't join me before your time's up okay? You're the first friend I ever had and I cherish you, so stay strong, alright?"

"It's not fair!" Mikleo cried, "'Stay strong?' It's easy for you to say, leaving me like that!"

Sorey offered him the last smile he could muster before he went limp. The mourning redoubled. Lailah let out her sobs, Edna cried harder, and Dezel looked away and a tear or two slipped down the stoic man's face as he clutched his hat tightly. Rose let out a strangled scream as she hit the ground and Mikleo, poor Mikleo, went blank and they could see it in those blank eyes, devoid of everything.

However it didn't end there. All of a sudden a great storm of malevolence gathered around Sorey staining his robe black and the intricate designs golden. His shirt also changed from sea blue to blood red. Lailah gasped.

"Get away from him! He's being taken by malevolence!" she shouted in panic.

They all moved away from him except for Mikleo who still stared down at Sorey.

"Mikleo!" Rose shouted but the malevolence thickened around Sorey and soon Lailah was screaming in pain, followed colsely by Edna.

"Lailah? Enda?" Rose called in confusion and panic, as she put a hand on her knives.

"The contract... should have been dissolved..." Lailah coughed. She briefly glowed in golden energy before it disappeared, "What...? I can't...?"

Before Rose knew it, Dezel, who later explained that he had dissolved the contract with the Prime Lord and reestablished his oath with Rose as his vessel, was protecting her from the thickening malevolence. Once the malevolence cleared, there stood three dragons, one sliver with red markings, another golden with white and green patterns and the last one, the largest one, that had dark blue and purple scales with some white, stood. They roared before taking off in different direction, dismissing both Dezel and Rose whom had their weapons out. The largest one took the transformed Shepherd into it's mouth and with a large pump of it's wings it was airborne and flying in the direction of Elysia. That was the last time Rose or Dezel had seem them.

So naturally Rose was surprised when she saw the missing Shepherd in his fallen garb walking through the roads of Marlind, trying to head East to track down a certain dragon.

"Boss!" One of the sparrow feathers dropped down from seemly nowhere stealthily and hid with her, jolting her out of her memory. "There has been sightings of a dark blue dragon heading east towards Lady Lake."

"Got it! Thanks, Felice," Rose gave a small smiled and her subordinate nodded before leaping away. She shook herself out of those depressing thoughts. It was all in the past and right now had the task to save Sorey from himself is had too. She then looked back down to see Sorey finished with the Hellions. They weren't purified, but either killed or wounded. Sorey was looking down on them with a dispassionate face.

"I know you're there. Come out," the corrupted Shepherd called out.

Rose tensed but stayed were she was for a moment longer, unsure if he was talking to her or somebody else. Her patience bore fruit for a fox-like Hellion walked out of the shadows chuckling in that high pitched voice. Rose gasped as she spotted the familiar uniform of the Shattered Bones.

"Yo Shepherd," the hellion greeted Sorey, "You seem a lot different than how I remembered you to be."

"Shut it, Lunarre. I have a feeling that you know what happened," Sorey's voice was cold, so different from the Sorey that Rose had remembered, and yet she still can see the old Sorey in the fallen corrupted Shepherd. To top it off he wasn't completely evil either. However this wasn't Sorey's responsibility but Rose's responsibility to lay down the Hellion, one of her own Sparrow Feathers, or rather one of her Shattered Bones.

"Oh, that I do. In fact I heard it through the grapevines. However I was surprised that Boss Lady was still pure," the Hellion drawled out, "So I thought I can hear it from you, Shepherd."

Sorey wrinkled his nose at the title. "I don't carry such a title anymore."

"But you do. In fact you're the first one that was able to turn your whole crew into hellions. They must be all naive that they could've saved you or just plain stupid," the hellion threw his head back and laughed. Rose reached for her knives and pulled both of them out. She gritted her teeth as she heard him badmouth her comrades. How dare he when he doesn't even know anything!

"You might be right," Sorey started as Rose did a double take, "They are idiots aren't they? Trying to save a lost cause like me," Sorey too let out a sharp bitter laugh.

Rose couldn't see the frown that marred the Hellion's face for his back was turned towards her. That, and she was already closing in for the strike, taking the chance of the exposed back.

As soon as the first knife seemed to dig into the Hellion's back, the creature moved so suddenly out of the path of the knife, sneering. "Boss, you showed up at last," it almost laughed.

"I'm here to put you to rest, Lunarre," Rose fell into battle stance.

"Come at me then," the other mocked, opening his palms to summon the blue unholy fire.

With a battle cry Rose started at the Hellion who threw the fire at her. She slid under the attack and was prepared to lash out at the Hellion knives a blazing but the hellion was ready. "I'm not going to fall for the same trick!" The fox Hellion laughed.

The creature grabbed Rose's ankle and threw her up while charging up another blast of fire to shoot at her. Rose was able to flip backwards with a little difficulty but now she could see the giant fireball roaring towards her. She crossed her arms in front of her in a defensive position but she knows that there was no way to stop the attack.

She couldn't stop the attack with that size and power just her knives and she wasn't able to move out of the way since she was mid air. The only way to stop such an attack without major injuries was to amortize and she wasn't going to give up.

" _Lukeim Yurlin_!" She yelled but like she expected nothing happened. It was at least a try.

The attack was so close that she could feel the heat. She wondered for the briefest second if she was going to die this way before she shook the thought away.

The fireball engulfed her in a while explosion.

"Well," the Hellion started, "that was a shame. I thought boss was harder to beat then that."

The fox then dropped his gaze from the sky to where Sorey was standing. Was. He blinked in surprise and confusion as the fox demon looked around searching for the signs of the Shepherd but found nothing.

An ornamental sword slid into his peripheral vision and the Hellion broke into cold sweat.

"Looking for me?" A cold emotionless voice asked, as the owner of the sword stepped forward.

"You wouldn't kill me," the Hellion was unsuccessful in keep in his nervousness in, "You're above that, aren't you?"

"Oh? What happened to that cocky attitude from before, Lunarre? Cat got your tongue?" The sword's sharp slide was pressed to the exposed skin of the hellion's neck.

"However what is right. I am above that," Lunarre let out a small sigh or relief.

"Or at least I was." The Hellion's eyes widened as blood fell onto the ground and the form of the fox demon crumbled to his knees. In one more fluid motion the fox was down.

"Goodnight, Lunarre," Sorey whispered and he slashed his sword downwards to get rid most of the hellion blood on his sword before he sheathed it.

"Goodnight Rose," he whispered into the sky. He paused, staring into the darkening sky before letting out a soft sigh and turned towards the nearest village after picking up the body on the ground and making way towards an Inn.

Rose better thank him when she wakes up. Though he probably won't be there when she does.

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 **A/N: Well I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of this two-shot! XD  
**

 **This is mainly Rose-centric, through I had to switch points of view since Rose fainted. Yes, fainted. Hopefully all other answers will be filled in by the next chapter! Also this chapter is not beta-ed so please point out any mistakes I made from names to spelling to OOCness. Also my version of the Tainted!AU does not completely follow the original story of Tales of Zestiria. What happened in Pendrago didn't happen, thus Dezel is still alive. Also Symmone didn't interfere with them too much. After all in this AU Heldalf isn't 'completely' dead yet thus Maotelus hadn't destroyed the Earth yet. Thank you!**


	2. Sorey is Sorey

Sorey is Sorey

 **A/N: Ok here's the last part of this two-shot! It was actually a whole lot longer than I had initially planned it to be but I think it really shows Sorey's new personality so I'll just keep it! Also I hope this explains the rest of the unanswered questions from the previous chapter! If some things still does not make sense then you can PM me and I'll try my best to explain. Now, without further ado, please enjoy "Sorey is Sorey" told obviously from Sorey's point of view, through it switches a little at the very end.  
**

 **Thank you so much for reddevil47 and Kemp2013 for reviewing! Also tell me in the reviews if I should continue this...**

 **Discalimer: Once again Tales of Zestiria is not mine! Only the plot, OOC-ness of Sorey, and some of my added headcanons!**

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Sorey walked through the crowds, careful not to stand out with his dark flowing cape and familiar face, to which he had purchased a scarf to hide as many features as he could.

It wasn't as if the villagers of Marlind would bother him however he wasn't sure of their reaction to his fallen state. Their saviour now gone was a huge deal after all. Maybe he was paranoid but he seriously wondered if they would actually beat him. Perhaps the malevolence had a negative effect on his mind.

As he passed the guards to duty he was stopped by one of them at the gate.

"Hey you," the solider ordered, "Where are you going?"

Sorey avoided direct eye contact as he pulled up on his scarf. "I'm just a wandering traveller in search of adventure," his voice was steady even through it was a lie. A half-truth. In truth he was trying to track Mikleo down and perhaps, if he was lucky, put him out of his misery.

"We cannot allow that due to current situations. No one should be allowed outside the village," the guard replied.

"Why? What happened?" Sorey asked genuinely curious.

"It's nothing a traveller like you should worry about," head the soldier's automatic reply.

"I see, thank you," Sorey replied before turning back to the once a plague-covered village that now is a bustling town. Even when everything seemed to be all sunny and happy, the malevolence in this area is still one of the strongest due to the many people still recovering from the plague that had let them nothing but a harsh and brutal way of life.

Sorey decided to listening to the passing conversations of the villagers, instead.

"I can't believe it!"

"I heard it was a bunch of rabid dogs that attacked few of the guards. Probably they killed a few..."

"...sucks! This way I can't get into Lady Lake. Just my luck!"

"Hey, isn't there another way..."

"... Too risky. Strong monsters..."

The particular conversation caught Sorey's ears as he stopped for a moment before scanning the source of the conversation. The crowds were still bustling but they all seemed to avoid him, creating a small area of space from him. Odd but it wasn't something new. He instinctively reached up and put a hand over where his heart was supposed to be. He was sure he had died back then and he knew that only the condensed malevolence within him was keeping him alive. The thought made him sick.

His eyes then landed on two people near the inn conversing about a way out of the locked in city.

"Hey, tell me more about that," Sorey commanded them making them flinch, startled.

"T-tell you what?" The one with cropped haired started, nervousness in his eyes.

Sorey resisted the urge to roll his eyes but he decided to humour them. "That path you were talking about, the one with the strong monsters," he reminded them as he crossed his arms.

He observed both of them, one nervous and the other with shifty eyes. Sorey frowned at them adding the pressure.

"Well," the black haired make spoke up, "It's just a rumour but apparently there's a hole in the Eastern Wall, big enough to fit a child. However the security also had tightened so no doubt there would be guards there."

"I see," Sorey replied and the two of them seemed to relax a little, "What about the monster then?"

"There were sightings of powerful monsters nearby that area thus the increased security. There has also been an attack nearby the hole as well," the brown haired man told him.

Hearing enough, Sorey nodded a farewell and thanks to them before making his way to the Eastern part of the village. True to their word there were an unit nearby keeping guard. Looking around he couldn't see a wall but he could see a crack in the holy barrier signalling the domain of the village's seraph's blessing. Sorey hummed as all the pieces fell into place.

So the rumour was told by a hellion in disguise and the two merchants believe the hellion since they were unfamiliar to the village and didn't know about the village's lack of walls in the Eastern direction.

Sorey briefly wondered if he should tell the old Lord of the Land seraphim that there was a crack in his domain but the old man probably should have already known. How come he wasn't repairing the crack?

The fallen Shepherd shook his head. No that was an issue that they have to address, it was longer his business anymore. He had already past the point of no return. He had already taken lives of many and there was no way he could wash the blood of his hands.

With that in mind he walked calmly up to one of the soldiers who seemed to be the head of the unit. He coughed into his fist to gain their attention. In his silent amusement they immediately pointed their weapons at him before the leader held up an arm. At the signal they retreated their weapons and stood in attention with cautious gleam in their eyes.

"Yes, how can we help you?" The leader started. He had sandy blond hair, a average bulky build and a stern expression on. Out of all of them he was the only one without a helmet on. Then again Sorey hated helmets, preferring lighter equipment and also the fact that helmets, while protect the head, narrows the field of vision.

"I'll help get rid of the rabid dogs, if that's what you want," Sorey offered with a small smile, tugging lightly on his scarf.

The blond gave him a cautious glance and Sorey assumed that his smile more threatening that he meant.

"I cannot endanger the lives of the merchants," the leader replied, voice hard.

"Ah, but I'm not a mere wandering merchant," Sorey started and in fluid motion he pulled out his ornamental sword and pointed the blade at the captain.

His lackeys all sprang into action and levelled their weapons at Sorey, ready to attack and finish him off. They made circle of weapons with their blades pointed at his exposed neck while he still had his blade pointed towards the blond. He glanced at the soldiers, making no unnecessary movement. After all he could die if he made a wrong move.

"Hold," the blond commanded and the all of them reluctantly pulled back their weapons and stood at attention once again.

"Lower your weapon boy," the captain commanded and Sorey did so, sheathing it with the grace he pulled it out with. The blond gave him another long hard stare before nodding. He could see the power in the brown haired boy's eyes.

"Alright, then you unofficially will be a temporary special unit under the command of I, Julgare Teufel to dispatch the rabid animals that attacks all soldiers on duty," the captain, Julgare boomed before he put a hand on Sorey's left shoulder.

"You can take Jeff, Stella and Matthew to exterminate the villains." When Julgare mentioned their names they gave a clear "yes" and stood straighter.

"No, it's alright," Sorey denied, putting up a polite front, "Thank you, but I alone can handle them."

"Impossible. A fighting merchant cannot fight at the same caliber as a solider who had been practicing all their life," The captain reasoned.

Sorey shook his head, "You underestimate me, captain. A fighting merchant has more experience and tactical knowledge from real confirmations than soldiers who had been practicing their whole lives."

"I cannot have a possible death on my conscience," Julgare frowned. While he could understand the boy's reasoning he cannot just let a bystander, an innocent player who knew nothing of war, die. "At the very least take one."

Sorey thought for a bit before giving in, "Fine." Whatever to keep the captain off his back.

"Jeff, make sure the boy come back safe," the captain ordered.

"Yes sir!"

Sorey took a glance at the solider who replied and held back a sigh. He could tell this one did not like him even the slightest.

 _~ Later ~_

"You can just watch while I take them on," Sorey suggested.

"No. I was ordered to protect you and I will stick to my duty to the very end," the solider, Jeff, replied, his voice had an edge to it encouraging Sorey's suspicions that the man hated his guts.

"Suit yourself, but don't get in my way," Sorey warned. The lackey made a noise that sounded suspiciously like an offhanded snort of disbelief. Sorey's eyes darkened, he would show him.

It didn't take too long before the duo found the pack of rabid dogs, or rather they found them.

"Prepare yourselves," Jeff told them, crouching into a fighting stance while the dogs growled out in response, their eyes were white and foam dripped down from their maws. They looked more like zombies than anything.

Before Jeff could attack Sorey had already took out the first three dogs in the front before hopping backwards to avoid getting jumped on by the remaining dogs.

"Don't get bitten," Sorey advised, "And beware of the shadows."

He knew Jeff couldn't see the true forms of the dogs, which were obviously Hellions. That would also explain the danger the dogs posed to the army. Not only that the pack contained approximately ten dogs, to which he killed one already and gravely injured two, it quite a large pack compared to other Hellion dog packs. He needed to finish this fast before the dogs can get a number on him.

"Yah!" Jeff yelled as he thrusted a textbook thrust at one of the dogs who just dodged out of the way before springing back into action, jaws wide open aiming for the head. The soldier was fast enough to block the bite with the handle of his spear but the momentum of the dog made him fall back on his back as he wrestled the Hellion.

That idiot was going to die. Sorey was sure of it. Unless he's able to throw the dog off before the others close in for the kill, the solider will die. With a vicious stab into the cranium of the dog it instantly died before Sorey pulled out his sword. The soldier threw the dead corpse away with his spear before too much blood got onto him, slightly traumatized.

"Get up," Sorey commanded, annoyed that the display of amateur skills, "Stay down any longer and you'll die."

The soldier panted and it felt like he wanted to retort but one look was enough to realize that Sorey was right. The dogs were only kept at bay by Sorey's sword. They were now wary and more alert. Jeff quickly got up and readied his spear. If this is what real fighting was then he still had a long way to go.

"Aim for the body. Even if you miss your initial target you'll bound to wound it at least a little," Sorey commented.

Jeff nodded and took a jab at one of the dogs but it jumped and it missed. Sorey meanwhile narrowed his eyes accessing the situation. The dogs were now less likely to attack first, making it harder to kill them with the previous and brief element of surprise gone. Sorey let out an annoyed sound, it was these times he wished they had still underestimated his power.

To his surprise a dog broke the formation to lung at him and it was reflex that deflected the attack. It whined but recovered quickly before Jeff could put a blade into it and returned to the comfort of it's pack.

There was a tense moment before Sorey dashed forwards and swung at one of the dog's mid section, it was barely able to recoil when the blade connected and Sorey didn't relent and kept the pressure. In a few more strikes the Hellion was dead. He then spun around to block an attack from one of the them and threw it backwards straight into another. He had to jump away from another that tried to take a bite out of it's leg and landed nearly a little ways off to the rabid dogs.

In a burst of speed he thrusted sword into one of weakened Hellion he attacked before, killing it. He then flipped over to avoid another bite while slashing his sword mid air, catching the Hellion on the back, crippling it.

He landed gracefully before ducking down as one of them tried to get him mid air. He spun in his crouched position, catching one of the Hellion dogs with his back heel and sent it flying. That's when he realized that there were two dogs lunging at him. He did flipped backwards on to another Hellion and drove his sword into it. The two that were lunging at him head-butted each other and was struggling to recover Sorey charged forwards landing a decisive strike to the heart, if not the lungs while the last one got pierced by a spear head.

"Good job," Sorey commented nomchatantly and they both withdrew their blades from the corpses.

"You too. I admit that I had underestimated you," Jeff nodded in his direction, "For that I apologize."

Sorey waved it off, "Just don't get cocky." There was just two more Hellions now.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Jeff replied, getting into a different ready position as they stood beside each other with their backs turned towards each other.

The two remaining dogs growled lowly but they were hesitant to attack, especially when Sorey erased more than three quarters of their pack in little time. His attack patterns were also wild and fast making him a formidable force to be reckoned with. They didn't like the odds and would rather run than anything and take revenge another day. So run they did.

Sorey didn't chase, nor did Jeff. After they were sure the dogs completely left, they dropped their stance.

"Well, it's high time you should get back," Sorey looked up at the bright yellow-orange sky, "It's getting dark after all."

Even with the helmet on Sorey knew he was shooting him a bewildered look. "But why? Night time is the time when these beasts are most active. It's dangerous to travel alone," Jeff countered.

Sorey gave him a lazy look, "Even when you saw me take down a pack of dangerous rabid dogs all on my own?"

Jeff didn't reply afterwords, reflecting on Sorey's words before accepting his decision. "Alright, but be careful. If you feel wary you are welcome to return back to village. We will welcome you back," Jeff's time of voice was gentle.

"I'll count that," Sorey nodded, "Now go before you get pounced on."

Jeff bowed slightly before taking his leave. Once the silhouette of the solider disappeared into the darkness Sorey stared down at the corpses of the Hellion with an emotionless face.

Another eight lives taken. Hellions or not they were still lives that would stain him black. There was no way he could return to the past, but he will have to forge forwards. He would not call this act anything else than murder, after all calling it something else would just be delusional. But, if anything, he hoped that killing the malevolence effected dogs would bring some kind of salvation to them.

"May these wary bones rest in peace," Sorey whispered softly under his breath. It was a slight variation to the lines Rose and her Shattered Bones liked to deliver after killing one of their victims.

On the note of the Shattered Bones, there was one more things he needed to address before he left. An annoyance.

"I know you're there. Come out," the corrupted Shepherd called out. Ever since he had fallen into malevolence, he was able to sense light as easily he could sense malevolence before he fell. Now he could barely feel the beings of malevolence but if he spotted them he could track them. Now he could sense one light source not far away from where he was and it had been following him for the past few days. Enough was enough, he would have to confront her.

However to his surprise it wasn't the light that stepped out but another being of malevolence. One that he was quite familiar with.

"Yo Shepherd," the hellion greeted Sorey, "You seem a lot different than how I remembered you to be."

"Shut it, Lunarre. I have a feeling that you know what happened," Sorey's voice was cold, different from it used to be. If the Hellion was just as he remembered than he should know exactly what happened and why.

After much sadistic bantering and serious verbal nerve-stabbing, Rose decided to interrupt by sneaking up behind the fox Hellion and claimed to assassinate him. Sorey had an urge to face-palm. If Hellions were able to sense the light like he can then the other had known all along what her motives were.

Sorey just stood there as they fought. When Rose was tossed up into the air he wondered if he should save her from her demise. If he did, he probably would have her as a stalker and if he didn't, well that's one less person to worry about.

He decided to let her be but when she shouted out Dezel's amortization name despite knowing it was no use, Sorey made a split second decision. He threw a small knife he kept with him to intercept the giant ball of fox fire so Rose wouldn't completely take the blunt of the attack for it exploded a small distance from her. No doubt the knife probably disintegrated at contact. As she fell Sorey, with a burst of speed, reached out to catch her by the hood and landed safely on the ground, letting her limp body drop silently onto the forest floor.

With careful steps he lowered his presence by compressing his aura and in one motion his sword was pressed against the Hellion's neck.

"Looking for me?" His voice was cold emotionless voice he stepped forward, closer to the trembling Hellion.

"You wouldn't kill me," the Hellion tried to sound confident, "You're above that, aren't you?"

"Oh? What happened to that cocky attitude from before, Lunarre? Cat got your tongue?" Sorey tilted the sword and sharp slide was pressed firmly against the exposed neck.

"However that is right. I am above that," the Hellion let out a small sigh or relief. Sorey smirked, he fell for it.

"Or at least I was." The hellion's eyes widened as blood fell onto the ground and the form of the fox demon crumbled to his knees. In one more fluid motion the fox was down.

"Goodnight, Lunarre," Sorey whispered harshly and he slashed his sword in a sharp downwards motion to get rid most of the Hellion blood on his sword before he sheathed it. He then stepped over the crumbled body and whispered.

"Let's play a game. If you're get lucky, then help would come and you'll survive another day. But if you're not... Then too bad."

The Hellion said nothing as he glared in hatred but there was a sick gleam of awe in his eyes that disgusted Sorey. He then stood up and continued away from the village before he paused.

"Goodnight Rose."

 _~ Later ~_

Rose groaned as she woke up in a familiar yet unfamiliar room with light flooding in from the blinds. Her whole body ached as she got up from what she identified was the inn bed and slowly looked around trying to remember what happened.

"Boss."

Rose looked up blinking as she saw Eguille leaning against the wall, patiently waiting for her to get her bearings straight.

"What... Happened?" She asked, still out of it.

"You were investigating Sorey if he should be put to rest. From what I heard you tried to assassinate Lunarre and suffered an injury. Sorey brought you back here an paid for it before leaving in the Eastern direction presumably to look for the sighted dragon," her subordinate reported.

Rose blinked before last night's fight sunk in. She blinked processing her memories before she let out a scream. The black haired make flinched at his boss's reaction.

"What's wrong, Boss?" He asked in alarm.

"We have to track Sorey down again!" She shouted, holding her head.

 _~ Meanwhile ~_

Sorey sneezed before getting a shiver down his spine. Perhaps it was a bad decision to let Rose live, however that was in the past and he had a feeling he couldn't let her die anyways.

He braced himself for the future. Mikleo was near, he knew. He was beyond the dense forest the stretched long and wide in front of him. It was time to do or die.

* * *

 **A/N: Ugh... what are action scenes? How do you write? Hopefully it turned out fine... QAQ  
**

 **Anyways, I just shifted Tainted!Sorey's personality from Lawful Good to a combination of Chaotic Neutral and Neutral Evil. I just see him as someone who would be on the neutral side since he doesn't have the obligation of saving the world anymore, that that he really can in the state he's currently in (can't purify evil anymore), and he has that evil side that is influenced by the malevolence corrupted side that makes him downright evil at times. But despite all of that his old personality sometimes shines through, like with saving Jeff and earning his respect, and he doesn't like causing trouble in the first place and he does tries to help out as well... He also hates what he had becomes sometimes...**

 **Anyways I hope you all enjoyed this VERY LONG chapter! To be honest I didn't expect it too go on for that long but I guess I just wanted to portray Sorey's new self a little more! Once again this chapter has not yet been beta-ed so please feel free to point out mistakes! Thank you!**


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